


Of Corpse, My Dear

by AMarguerite



Category: Les Misérables - All Media Types
Genre: Corpses, F/M, Medical students
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-01-18
Updated: 2015-01-18
Packaged: 2018-03-08 03:55:14
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 413
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3194375
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AMarguerite/pseuds/AMarguerite
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>For Mamzellecombeferre. Not... quite what you asked for, but I hope you don't mind. Brought to you by the fact that corpses were apparently 10 francs a pop at the Hotel Dieu. WHAT A DEAL.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Of Corpse, My Dear

**Author's Note:**

  * For [MamzelleCombeferre](https://archiveofourown.org/users/MamzelleCombeferre/gifts).



  
"So," said Joly, counting out the contents of his pocket amongst the remains of dinner, "I have… four francs, three sous and a button."

Musichetta leaned over to look at the button. “That’s my button.”

"So, four francs, three sous, and no button," corrected Joly. "Bossuet, I don’t suppose you can make up the difference to ten francs?"

"Is it for rent?"

"No," said Joly.

"Ah good. Then I can say ‘no’ without having to come up with a story behind which to hide my indigence. Why not go to Enjolras or Prouvaire? They’re only sons with generous allowances.”

"I’m not sure they’d like any of their allowances to go towards the purchase of a corpse," said Joly, dubiously.

Musichetta and Bossuet took this with aplomb. 

"Please don’t dissect it on my good table-cloth," said the long-suffering Musichetta. 

"Prouvaire would probably like the fact that some of his allowance has gone towards the purchase of a corpse," said Bossuet, with admirable practicality.

Fortunately, Bossuet proved to be correct. Even more fortunately, Combeferre was with Prouvaire and was willing to pay for and take the legs of the corpse, since Joly’s most recent series of lectures were on the abdominal cavity. Bahorel had been roped into coming with them to the Hotel-Dieu, mostly to carry the corpse. They stood in a surprisingly cheerful crowd by the doors, trying to be sensitive to the thin stream of people coming to identify the bodies. 

"So, if I take the arms as well," said Combeferre, "that’s—"

"Oh, I’m willing to pay the lion’s share if you will clean out the skull and let me have it afterwards," interrupted Jehan.

"You cannot really drink from a skull," Joly pointed out. "There are too many, er… holes."

"No, he is meant merely as adornment," said Jehan. "There’s a flower market across the way, I shall put him in a bowl full of roses."

Bahorel cleared his throat and looked pointedly at Joly. 

"Hm? Oh." Joly counted his coins again. "So you would be content with three instead of four francs?"

"Certainly," said Jehan.

Joly returned that evening with a terrible smelling package, and one lovely one. A little abashedly, he held out a bouquet of flowers saying, “Musichetta?”

"Yes— oh! I thought you were getting a, er, corpse."

Joly held up his other bag. 

Musichetta buried her nose in the bouquet.

"You might want to stay like that for the next half-hour," said Joly.

"Duly noted," Musichetta said, muffledly.


End file.
